Ulster man hid mercury in hospital food, halls

ALBANY — A former pharmacist from the Town of Ulster pleaded guilty Thursday to planting mercury in hospital food trays and hallways.

Michael Novinson

ALBANY — A former pharmacist from the Town of Ulster pleaded guilty Thursday to planting mercury in hospital food trays and hallways.

Martin Kimber, 60, admitted in U.S. District Court that he traveled to Albany Medical Center four times and left mercury everywhere from the chicken tenders container to the emergency room windows.

Federal sentencing guidelines could recommend a prison term of as little as 7﻿1/3 to nine years behind bars or as much as 27 to 33﻿3/4 years, said Kimber's attorney, James Long.

Kimber will have to pay $200,000 of restitution to the Albany hospital and forfeit his Ruby home and 2007 Pontiac Solstice, prosecutors said.

U.S. Judge Lawrence Kahn will sentence Kimber March 7.

Prosecutors accused Kimber of domestic terrorism and linked him to child pornography, drug abuse and racist behavior in court filings.

Long disputed their characterization of Kimber.

"It was one man who was at a low point in his life who made some poor decisions," Long said "No one was actually hurt."

One person who ate the contaminated chicken tenders had to be treated in the emergency room, prosecutors had said.

Kimber complained to the Albany hospital in January 2011 regarding medical bills and treatment he had received the previous month.

Hospital staff replied and said Kimber provided inaccurate information about his injury and didn't complete the care prescribed by his physician.

The first mercury deposits occurred the following month.

A March search warrant of Kimber's property turned up racist literature, a swastika on the wall, two jars of mercury, three images of child pornography, 21 guns, 50 knives and 1,000 rounds of ammunition, prosecutors said.

No charges stemmed from the child pornography, Long said, though Kimber agreed to abandon his computer.

Kimber was a pharmacist for 35 years until being found unconscious in a bathroom in late 2011 with a hypodermic needle by his side. Vassar Brothers Medical Center fired Kimber, and prosecutors said the Ruby man was injecting himself with a potent tranquilizer.

mnovinson@th-record.com

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